TAFE Queensland Scholarship recipient Jasmine Baker has persevered through trying times to keep her goal of becoming a nurse on track.

“I have three children and two of them have disabilities and complex medical needs, in fact my daughter got very sick recently and I nearly lost her,” Ms Baker said.

The ordeal was bittersweet, reaffirming Ms Baker’s desire to pursue a life caring for others.

“It was emotional to do my nursing placement at the same hospital where my kids have spent considerable time,” Ms Baker said.

“I believe that my personal experiences and TAFE Queensland training will allow me to provide people with the care, comfort and reassurance that I have received from nurses,” she said.

The TAFE Queensland Scholarship Program provides each recipient with up to $5,000 to help cover the costs of studying.

Townsville resident Ms Baker said she was floored when she found out that she was receiving a TAFE Queensland Scholarship.

“I was so excited because I knew that it was going to help me out in so many ways,” Ms Baker said.

“My car had just broken down. The scholarship meant that I was able to afford to get my car fixed so I could still get to and from campus, and the money also covered the costs of text books,” she said.

Ms Baker said TAFE Queensland provides students with a supportive learning environment.

“I completed a Certificate III in Health Services Assistance in 2018, before deciding to enrol in the Diploma of Nursing,” Ms Baker said.

“I hadn’t studied in close to a decade and I was scared to go back to school, but I thoroughly enjoyed my certificate studies and gaining that qualification gave me the confidence to pursue more training.

“My nursing teachers have been incredibly supportive and informative. I love how they bring their personal experiences of being a nurse into the classroom; they’re so inspiring,” she said.

There is high demand for qualified enrolled nurses in Australia, with 14,000 job openings predicted by 2023.

Ms Baker said she enjoys how her TAFE Queensland studies blend theory and practical lab training with real-life hospital placements.

“We simulate a lot of scenarios in the training lab, which sets us up with the building blocks to undertake live training in a hospital,” Ms Baker said.

“Placement can be really nerve wracking, but I just put my training into action and by the end of it I feel like part of the team and really competent,” she said.

Ms Baker is on the home stretch, due to graduate in December.

“When I finish my diploma I’m hoping to use my TAFE Queensland training as a stepping stone and gain credit towards a registered nursing degree at university,” Ms Baker said.

Ms Baker’s advice for other people thinking about applying for a TAFE Queensland Scholarship is simple. 

“Apply for it because you could get it and be so much better off,” Ms Baker said.

TAFE Queensland Director of Education and Training (North Region) Phil Williams said the TAFE Queensland Scholarship Program first launched in 2015.

“Over $1 million in TAFE Queensland Scholarships have been awarded since the program began, helping more than 250 Queenslanders like Jasmine pursue their careers goals,” Mr Williams said.

“I encourage anyone interested in a TAFE Queensland Scholarship to apply before applications close on 29 August,” he said.

To find out more about TAFE Queensland Scholarships to commence study in semester one, 2020, visit: scholarships.tafeqld.edu.au.